Donald Trump has announced that former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani will not join his incoming administration, as the US president-elect has widened his search to select the next American secretary of state.

Trump said in a written statement issued on Friday evening that Giuliani had removed his name from consideration for any position at the State Department during a meeting with him on November 29.

“Rudy would have been an outstanding member of the cabinet in several roles, but I fully respect and understand his reasons for remaining in the private sector,” he stated.

“Rudy Giuliani is an extraordinarily talented and patriotic American. I will always be appreciative of his 24/7 dedication to our campaign after I won the primaries and for his extremely wise counsel,” he added.

“He is and continues to be a close personal friend, and as appropriate, I will call upon him for advice and can see an important place for him in the administration at a later date,” Trump continued.

Giuliani, a former federal prosecutor and loyal Trump supporter throughout the presidential race, had expressed his desire for the secretary of state position.

But the 72-year-old’s financial ties, as well as his frequent public campaigning for the job surprised Trump and he, according to those close to the president-elect, started reasoning that Giuliani lack the stamina and charisma for the high-profile, globe-trotting position.

“The whole thing was becoming kind of very confusing and very difficult for the president-elect,” Giuliani said on Fox News. “My desire to be in the Cabinet was great, but not that great.”

Giuliani advised foreign political leaders and worked for lobbying and security firms whose clients have had complicated ties with the US administration.

Giuliani lobbied for the removal of the notorious anti-Iran terrorist group known as Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO) from the US list of terrorist groups because of his close links to the Israeli lobby, Mark Dankof, a political analyst and former US Senate candidate, told Press TV on Tuesday.

He said Giuliani was not qualified to be secretary of state in the incoming Trump administration.

Joe Scarborough, the MSNBC host and former GOP congressman from Florida, said in a recent tweet that Giuliani is “neither qualified nor capable of effectively holding the position.” He further wrote Giuliani is “dreadfully unprepared to be America’s Sec State.”

“Selecting Rudy Giuliani as Sec State would overshadow any selections Donald Trump has made. After this week, that is especially true,” he said in another tweet last week, referring to Trump’s recent controversial picks of retired Marine Gen. James Mattis, known as “Mad Dog”, for secretary of defense, and retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn for national security adviser.

According to reports, Trump is now actively considering Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson for the post. Tillerson has led Exxon since 2006.